Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Named Keynote Speaker for 2019 Partners in Progress

Franklin Southampton Economic Development’s 6th Annual Partners in Progress breakfast event will be held on March 12 at 7:30 a.m. at the Main Event at 110 N. Main Street, Franklin. The keynote address will be provided by the Secretary of Forestry and Agriculture Bettina Ring.

Gov. Ralph Northam appointed Bettina Ring in 2018 to serve as the fourth Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry for the Commonwealth of Virginia. In this capacity, Ring supports the Governor’s mission of building a strong Virginia economy in agriculture and forestry—two of Virginia’s largest private industries—while also protecting the environment.

Partners in Progress is a forum to educate and inform the community at large about key economic development issues throughout the Commonwealth. This year, Partners in Progress will focus on the impact of forestry and agriculture within the locality. Virginia’s agriculture and forestry industries contribute a combined $91 billion annually to Virginia’s economy and generate more than 450,000 jobs throughout the Commonwealth.